lathosterol

Lathosterol is a sterol that functions as an intermediate in the endogenous synthesis of cholesterol in animals, including humans. It is formed in the hepatic mevalonate pathway during the conversion of lanosterol toward cholesterol and is found in trace amounts in tissues and plasma.

Because its plasma level largely tracks hepatic cholesterol synthesis, lathosterol is used as a biomarker of endogenous cholesterol production in research and some clinical contexts. Higher concentrations indicate increased synthesis, while pharmacological inhibition of cholesterol production, notably by statins, lowers lathosterol levels. Levels can also be influenced by hormonal status, age, body weight, and genetic factors; dietary intake of cholesterol has a smaller effect.

Measurement and interpretation: Lathosterol is measured in plasma or serum by chromatography-based methods, typically GC-MS or GC-FID, often after derivatization. Results are interpreted relative to total cholesterol or against established reference ranges; the lathosterol-to-cholesterol ratio is sometimes used to estimate the rate of sterol synthesis.

In clinical practice, lathosterol measurement is not routine but is used in specialized lipid research or the evaluation of metabolic disorders. Related sterol intermediates, such as desmosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol, are also used to study cholesterol biosynthesis and its regulation.